News Articles

On August 20, 2020, the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s General Conference Executive Committee met virtually to receive the name of Kyoshin Ahn, the recommendation for division secretary, from both the North American Division’s standing nominating committee and executive committee.

On August 18, 2020, Synchronous Health, a behavioral health company that combines the strength of human empathy with artificial intelligence (AI) to increase access and quality of behavioral health services, and Adventist Health, a faith-based nonprofit integrated multi-state health system serving more than 10 million people in more than 80 communities on the West Coast and Hawaii, announced a strategic partnership that provides customized behavioral healthcare and well-being solutions to key populations.

“After nearly 30 years of planning and discussing strategies for a full campus for Oakwood Adventist Academy, I’m pleased to announce that the third and final phase of the Oakwood Adventist Academy (OAA) Building Project is now completed! It’s been a long time coming, but look what God has done!" These were the opening words from Oakwood University Church (OUC) senior pastor and OAA building project chairperson, Carlton P. Byrd, to the crowd of community residents, church members, and OAA employees, parents, and students gathered to witness the official opening of the newly constructed OAA high school building in Huntsville, Alabama, on August 9, 2020.

NAD Communication Director Dan Weber interviews Rick McEdward, the president of the Middle East North Africa Union, about his service as a missionary from the NAD. In this video interview, McEdward also shares the latest update on the situation in Beirut, Lebanon, after the recent explosion that has impacted hundreds of thousands of people, and how the church is helping in the community.

The NAD leadership has identified the process to elect a new executive secretary. G. Alexander Bryant, NAD president, notified the members of the standing NAD Nominating Committee that they will meet on Aug. 17 to select a name to be recommended to the NAD Executive Committee, which will then vote on the recommendation on Aug. 18.

Kari Firestone, Walla Walla University (WWU) professor of nursing and associate dean of the School of Nursing, has been appointed to the role of WWU COVID-19 response director by WWU president John McVay. In this new role, Firestone will lead a task force that will detail and implement plans related to COVID-19 on the WWU campus for fall quarter and beyond.

​​​​​​​With more than 650 named skeletal muscles in the human body, it is clear that humans were “Made to Move!” And as part of its Adventist HealthyYOU initiative, the North American Division (NAD) is continuing to encourage members, congregations, and organizations to plan physical activity events for their communities. "Made to Move Week" has been designated as Sept. 19-26, 2020.

Richard O’Ffill, who was instrumental in the founding of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), lost his long battle with Parkinson’s Disease on July 29, 2020, in Orlando, Florida. He was 79.

The first #DearCoronavirus video went live on social media platforms around the world on March 19, 2020. Initially produced by the Inter-European Division and Trans-European Division communication departments in cooperation with Hope Media Europe, the videos ultimately became a collaborative series of 12 inspirational and poignant messages on a wide variety of COVID-19 relevant topics, with participants from more than 40 countries and several world divisions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Through “Hope 2020,” 32 youth and young adults between the ages of 15 and 25 from the Michigan Youth Rush literature evangelism ministry have received training on how to fundraise for mission work and conduct door-to-door literature distribution while exercising precautionary measures regarding COVID-19.